Schmirler Charity Curling Classic placed on hiatus

Due to the lack of a title sponsor, the Schmirler Charity Curling Classic has been put on hiatus.

Photograph by: Troy Fleece
, Regina Leader-Post files

REGINA — An inability to find a title sponsor has forced organizers of the Schmirler Charity Curling Classic to place the event on hiatus for at least one year.

Amber Holland, the 2011 Canadian women's curling champion and an organizer of the women's bonspiel, said Wednesday the event won't be staged in 2012. Holland added organizers will look at the possibility of a return in 2013.

"Last year we ran it without a title sponsor,'' Holland said. "We lost money and the charity didn't make any money. The Callie Curling Club is a great supporter and they helped us secure our debt last year, but the organizing committee are all volunteers. We can't in good conscience run a charity event that won't make any money for our charity as well as bringing in the best teams for our event.''

The Schmirler has been an annual curling event in Regina since 1995. It was started by Sandra Schmirler and the members of her three-time Canadian and world championship team and gold medallists at the 1998 Winter Olympics as a way of establishing a competitive women's bonspiel in Regina.

"When it was started, the competitive teams in Regina wanted a competitive event,'' Holland said. "Sandra and her team were integral in going to SaskPower, the first sponsor, and getting the dollars. That's why Sandra's name is attached to the event. Everyone has to work to keep it going and hopefully we can keep it going in 2013.''

Proceeds from the Classic have been directed toward the Dr. Sandra Schmirler Scholarship fund. The scholarship had been created to provide students the opportunity to pursue studies in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, particularly in recreation and sport administration. The top women's teams in the world have taken part in the event, but that wasn't enough to keep the bonspiel going in 2012.

"We looked at changing the type of bonspiel, but we want it to be a World Curling Event and we want the best teams in the world to come here,'' Holland said. "In order to attract them, you need to have a significant purse. To get that significant purse, you need corporate dollars to make that happen.''

Holland has been involved in the bonspiel as an organizer and a competitor. Holland has won the Classic in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

"That bonspiel has been very good to me,'' said Holland, who has been on the organizing committee for 14 of its 16 years. "Sometimes you need to step back and look at what we're doing this for and is it accomplishing all of our goals and objectives? Some of the competitive curlers in this province may realize that we don't have an event. Maybe now they will help us and help the organizing committee to revitalize it to what the bonspiel was.''

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